1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a digestion bomb assembly for the chemical treatment of organic and inorganic substances.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A commonly found problem in the field of analytical chemistry is that in the chemical treatment of organic or inorganic materials, the reaction product often contains metallic contamination from a metal digestion bomb in which the chemical treatment is performed. The digestion bombs found in the prior art generally are constructed of metal or steel jackets which encase the digestion vessels to give them the necessary mechanical rigidity to successfully withstand repeated digestions. However, the use of such metal or steel containers in analytical reactions has resulted in the inherent disadvantage of introducing contamination. When metal or steel parts are used, the elements iron, manganese, magnesium, copper, chromium, lead, and nickle in the reaction products cannot be measured in small quantities.
Attempts to replace the metal or steel containers with containers composed of an inert substance have failed because of the loss of the mechanical rigidity that was provided by having steel or metal containers. The use of inert substances, such as a plastic or more specifically, Teflon, results in almost immediate distortion of the container brought about by the stress created by repeated heating and cooling. This repeated heating and cooling causes the container to loose its shape and become unusable after a relatively few digestions.
Another problem commonly encountered in the use of a digestion bomb for the chemical treatment of organic and inorganic materials is the loss of volatile elements. The digestion bombs utilized in the past have incorporated O-rings or sealing liners that are quite often separately attached to the containers and not integrally formed thereon. These types of seals are susceptible to warping and breaking as is often common with such types of sealing members.
In summary, there is a need for a digestion bomb capable of providing a chemically inert, contamination-free environment for the sample during treatment, capable of insuring containment of volatile elements or compounds during decomposition of the sample, and incorporating into its design simplicity and mechanical rigidity such that the first two capabilities would be assured over an extended life span.